The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1887-11-03
OUR WOUNDED VETERANS.


The brilliant address on "North
Carolina Troops in the Late War;" by
Col. A. M. Waddell, of Wilmington,
at the laying of the cornerstone Of the
Lee Monument, at Richmond, is a
painful reminder that our North Car
DINA veterans, disabled while fighting
the battles of Oar country, are to-day
among US poor, almost uncared for
and possessing rs their only reward
the name and fame of the staunchest
soldiers that ever answered the call to
arms.
AS we understand it, each disabled
North Carolina veteran receives the
almost contemplate pittance of eight
dollars annually, for fighting as men
have never fought since the days of
Marston Moor and Naseby.
Since blind Homer tuned his Tyre
to sing the deeds of valiant soldiers,
poets have We'd with one another to
pay tribute to bravery. Nations have
carved upon lasting monuments tie
names Of gallent men, and beautiful
woman has bedecked the graves of
fallen heroes with the fairest flowers
of the earth. Thus it is that in ali
times high honor and gratitude have
been awarded to the men who, leav-
ing aside personal interests, have
borne their country's arms to honor
able defeat or noble success. Every
rolling year brings the beautiful May
month and then the brave and fair of
all North Carolina gather in Raleigh
to beautify the graves Of our fallen.
This is a beautiful and fitting tribute
to the dead, and speaks well for our
States gratitude, but it doesn't go far
enough. While doing reverance to
the dead, we seem to forget that there
are lame soldiers, halt and blind, pass
ing in and out among us day by
day, with locks as gray as the jackets
they once SO proudly wore, who are
uncared for and upon whom the slings
and arr ows of misfortune are falling,
Just when they most need the kindly
help of their countrymen-those fell
low men whose battles they fought,
whose wounds they received.
At the meeting of the Confederate
Home Association in Raleigh, during
Fair week, so little interest was mani
tested that Col. W. F.Beasely, resign
ed his position as chairman Surely
this should not be. North Carolina
should hasten to cast off the stigma Of
that bascst of base things,-ungrati-
tude-and erect home tor her wound
ed soldiers.
1t has been suggested that the Coy
ernor's mansion, at Raleigh be turned
into Home. The SENTINEL doesn't
advise either way on that subject, it
doesn't know whether the plan is
practical or not, but it does advise, ii
appeals to the legislature that will ere
long convene, to give its attention to
this subject, to make such an appro-
priation that it can no longer be said
that North Carolina is ungrateful.
The National government pensions
disabled Union soldiers. We pay q
part Of the tax that goes TO support
them. 1t is right to pension them
and we have no objection. We do
not object to-the tax, bnt we do think
that, ss'we pay s. part, we should re-
celve part. But. this cannot be-
Unfortunately the war is not forgot
ten and human nature north Of Mas
on and Dixon's line has not yet be-
GENE magnanimous enough to aid a
wounded enemy. Therefore each
Southern state must provide for its
own veterans.
In the absence of a better plan the
SEkTINEE, to start the ball rolling
suggests that the legislature appro,
propriate as much for this purpose as
it can, and that this amount be sup
plemented by Unsolicited; thai
each county treasurer be authorized
and requested to solicit funds and
that these be paid over TO the State
Treasurer, who shall use it for the
benefit of the disabled soldiers as 8
committee, elected by the legislature
shall order.
We propose this plan, not because
We believe it cannot be bettered, but
because it is plan and will probably
be improved upon.
In conclusion we most earnestly re.
quest the State press to discuss the
matter and We appeal to each indi-
vidual citizen to do what he can fol
the relief of those who SO much de-
serve aid at the hands of cur people
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Er-vrv Iorc GOO q nrr,, ,,,sttn a.,